The present invention relates generally to docking-style connector assemblies that mount to circuit boards, and more particularly, to intermediate connector used as part of an overall docking-style connector assembly for connecting a multi-wire cable connector, such as an input/output (xe2x80x9cI/Oxe2x80x9d) connector to circuits on a circuit board along an edge portion of the circuit board.
Docking-style connector assemblies are used often in computer applications for providing a connection between circuits on a computer circuit board and a peripheral device, such as a printer, disk drive, etc. In order to provide a connection to the circuits on the circuit board, conventional surface mount connectors are used. These surface mount connectors include an electrically insulative housing with a plurality of conductive terminals loaded within the connector housing. Solder tails are formed on the terminals, and extend out of the connector housing so that they may be soldered to conductive pads arranged on the circuit board. The solder tails are soldered to the surface of the circuit board by either the reflow or the solder dipping method where the surface mount connector terminals extend through holes formed in the circuit board. Where a through hole manner of mounting is used, the through holes on the opposite side of the circuit board take up valuable space on the circuit board that could otherwise be used for accommodating circuitry and components.
These surface mount connectors are mateable with other connectors. The surface mount connectors are usually oriented with their engagement portions being of a straight-type engagement that are oriented upwardly, or a right angle-type engagement that is oriented parallel to the circuit board. When the number of terminals is increased and the connector size remains the same, the pitch of the terminals must be decreased accordingly. Surface soldering is frequently used in such applications, and the solder tails of the connector are arranged on two opposing sides of the connector housing.
In this type of structure, the right angle-type engagement portion of the surface mount connectors have terminals that extend out from the rear side of the connector. These terminals must have a longer length as compared to the terminals arranged on the front side of the connector, thereby causing difficulty in maintaining a predetermined pitch of the solder tails extending out of the front side of the connector.
Furthermore, the ends of the solder tails are exposed around the engagement end of an opposing cable connector which potentially may cause difficulty in engaging the cable connector on the wire side, or the cable connector may unexpectedly impact upon and cause damage to the solder tail ends. Additionally, the coupling of a cable connector to the surface mount connector may exert forces on the soldered ends of the solder tail portions during engagement, and these forces may cause breakage of the soldered portion.
Additionally, where through hole surface mount connectors are used, the through holes formed in the circuit board prevent the use of a surface mount, or any other style connector, on the opposite side of the circuit board. Thus, this type of arrangement wastes space on the circuit board and accordingly, is not good for use in docking type applications as will be found in notebook and laptop computers.
Docking-style connector assemblies require a set of terminal contacts be oriented in a direction parallel to the circuit board so as to protrude through a housing of the computer. This may be accomplished by using an intermediate connector that engages the surface mount connector and has an engagement portion that projects in the desired direction. The terminals in these intermediate connectors must be bent or angled in order to make contact with the terminals of the surface mount connector and also make contact, on the opposing end of the intermediate connector, with the terminals of an opposing connector. Such connectors may be formed by first bending a set of terminals to their desired shapes and then inserting the terminals into openings in a pre-formed connector housing. It is expensive to form and mold such a connector housing because of the different directions that the terminals take in their path between two ends of the connector housing. The forming of these openings is a complex and delicate procedure and increases the cost of manufacturing such intermediate connectors.
The present invention is directed to an intermediate connector having a construction that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
Therefore, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an intermediate connector for use in a docking-style connector assembly and for mounting near the edge of a circuit in which the intermediate connector housing is formed from a plurality of separate parts, that eliminates the need for complex molded connector housings.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved docking-style connector assembly for mounting on an edge of a circuit board, the assembly having a right-angle intermediate connector that is vertically aligned with the surface mount connector, the intermediate connector having a connector body portion with an internal cavity that encloses a plurality of terminals, each of the terminals having first and second contact portions disposed at opposite ends thereof, the connector body having separate and distinct terminal support portions that cooperatively form the connector body portion and which respectively support the terminal first and second contact portions.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a surface mount connector assembly for mounting to a circuit board near an edge thereof, the connector assembly having a right-angled body portion that extends above the circuit board and over the edge of the circuit board, the right-angled body portion having a plurality of terminals with first contact portions supported at one end of the body portion and positioned past the edge of the circuit board and away from the circuit board for engaging with an opposing docking-style connector, the terminals further having second contact portions supported at another end of the body portion above and directed at the circuit board, the body portion having an open, internal cavity that reduces the amount of material needed for forming the intermediate connector.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate connector for use in docking-type applications to provide a connection between a surface mount connector mounted to a circuit board and an opposing cable connector, the intermediate connector having a connector body that houses a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therein and extending between two contact ends of the connector body, one of the contact ends including a dual row leaf connector portion that supports a plurality of first contact portions of the intermediate connector terminals and positions them to engage the opposing cable connector, the other of the contact ends including a plug-type connector portion that supports a plurality of second contact portions of the intermediate connector terminals in a position to engage an opposing receptacle-type surface mount connector mounted to a circuit board.
In order to accomplish these and other objects, the present invention, in one principal aspect, provides an intermediate connector assembly for engaging a surface mount connector near an edge portion of a circuit board and for engaging a multi-wire cable connector at a location past the edge of the circuit board. The intermediate connector includes a connector housing that includes a dual row leaf connector portion that extends past the edge of the circuit board and supports a plurality of conductive terminal first contact portions in position for mating with opposing terminals of the cable connector. The connector housing also includes a plug-style connector portion spaced apart from and oriented in a different direction from the dual row leaf connector portion that mates with the surface mount connector mounted on the circuit board. This plug-style connector portion supports a plurality of conductive terminal second contact portions in position for mating with opposing terminals of the surface mount connector.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the intermediate connector housing is cooperatively formed by a plurality of connector housing elements. Such elements include the dual row leaf connector portion and the plug-style connector portion. These separate portions include terminal-receiving openings so that each separate portion may be affixed to the terminal first and second contact portions from different directions. This eliminates the need for a complex, molded connector housing.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the intermediate connector housing portions are held together by a retention member, that takes the form of a bracket in the preferred embodiment. The retention bracket assists in aligning the separate portions together and also providing support for the guide pins of the intermediate connector that are used to guide the opposing cable connector into engagement with the intermediate connector.
The intermediate connector may also be fixed to the circuit board by mounting screws that extend through holes in both the circuit board and the intermediate connector. In this manner, the surface mount connectors may be respectively mounted on opposing front and back (top and bottom) surfaces of the circuit board, and a pair of intermediate connectors may respectively engage these surface mount connectors and also be fixed to the circuit board.
Because the intermediate connector may be directly fixed to the circuit board by these screws, forces developed during engagement of a cable connector to the intermediate connector are directly transmitted to the circuit board and not to the surface mount connector or the solder tails thereof which might result in breaking the attachment of the surface mount connector to the circuit board.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the intermediate connector includes a dual row leaf connector end that enclose and supports a plurality of conductive terminals in an orientation to mate with an opposing, docking-type connector. This end is positioned above the circuit board and past an edge of the circuit board so that it may be mated with a docking-style connector, such as a multi-wire connector. The dual row leaf connector end and its terminals extend horizontally past the edge of the circuit board.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.